India (MNN) ― It's not unusual to hear about persecution in India, especially in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.
"In Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa--those
states in what's called the 'Hindu Heartland,' there is a very organized
violence against Christians, trying to stop the growth of the Church,"
says Dave Stravers with Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Mission India.
However, reports of police helping Hindu extremists attack Christians in
Madhya Pradesh is a little disconcerting. Usually, Stravers explains,
extremists go to police before they engage in violence against
believers; then when the attack is reported and police are called in,
they often arrest the Christians.
"This is the first time I've heard a case that confirmed police officers were part of the attackers," Stravers says.
A church pastor told Morning Star News that at the end of November, four
police officers broke into his church during worship service and
ordered Christians to leave. Close behind was a mob of Hindu extremists
who told the leader "Jesus' name will not work in Madhya Pradesh" and
warned against future mention of His name.
"The extremists further threatened to kill us, cut off our legs, burn
down our houses. and expel us from the village if we speak the name of
Jesus again and conduct meetings in the future," the church leader said.
When a church member tried to file a complaint at the local police station, an officer slapped him twice in the face.
"India has been resistant to the Gospel for centuries, and just in the
last 10 or 15 years, places that once [had] just no Christians at all
are now open to Christ, and people are coming to Jesus," says Stravers.
"This is found to be very threatening by the Hindu and some community
leaders."
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